'Get the Job' pt. 2: Job Web sites

Finding a job these days can be stressful. Before you start knocking on doors and sending out resumes, you may want to log on as we continue our special report "Get the Job." Here are several tricks to landing a job online. Scouring the classified ads, knocking on doors, and going to job centers. These are all good ways to look for jobs. But, you can search job openings without ever leaving home.

At job seminars in Southern California, job seekers are learning another way to get their applications noticed by searching and applying for jobs online. But for job hunters, many looking for work for the first time in years, the Internet can be imposing.

"It's just hard for the older generation that doesn't know anything about PCs. And I suggest to anybody that didn't go to school and learn this, you must learn PCs," said job seeker Eleanor Pekala.

"If you don't know how to use the Internet, you don't know how to navigate the Internet, you don't know how to put your resume, complete the application, do your online job search, you have really got yourself out of the game completely," said job search expert Joumana Barakat.

Web sites like Careerbuilder, HotJobs, and Monster.com allow job seekers to search hundreds of thousands of jobs and post their resumes online.

But, these national job sites may not list jobs in all fields. That's why sites like Caljobs, run by the state's employment development department, or USA-Jobs which list federal jobs, may be a better fit for some job seekers.

When searching for a job, it's often best to apply directly on a company's Web site, because jobs may be more current.

If you can find the name of the person who does the hiring, follow up the old-fashioned way, by writing a letter and dropping it in the mail. It might help your application stand out.

Narrow your options online by using filters to refine your search by location and job expertise.

If you're sending an electronic resume through e-mail or on the Internet, make sure it's formatted correctly. Experts recommend the use of ASCII or simple-text formats which are universally recognized by PC, Macintosh, and UNIX workstations and mainframe computers.

Almost any word-processing software will work. You should limit the length of lines to no more than 80 characters use a fixed font width, and avoid using bullet points -- instead, use asterisks or hyphens.

There are plenty of sites that offer free listings and you should never have to pay to find work.

Here you'll find an extensive job hunting resource guide.

And, ABC7 is teaming up with Monster.com to give you access to several upcoming job fairs across Southern California.

You can build and post resumes online for potential employers.

Coming up Wednesday at 5 p.m., I'll show you how to get help in putting together a resume.